Kingdom Hearts II is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in 2005. It is the sequel to Kingdom Hearts, and like its predecessor, combines characters and settings from Disney films with those of Square Enix's Final Fantasy series. The game follows Sora, a young boy who embarks on a journey to find his friends and confront a new threat—the Nobodies—led by Organization XIII. Along the way, Sora travels to various worlds based on Disney properties, battles enemies using a variety of weapons and magic spells, and interacts with characters from both Disney films and Final Fantasy games.
Kingdom Hearts II features improved graphics over its predecessor as well as new gameplay mechanics. Players control Sora as he moves through various levels based on Disney movies such as Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Alice in Wonderland, Mulan, Peter Pan: Return to Neverland and Lilo & Stitch. As they progress through the game they can customize their character's abilities by equipping items called "Gummi Blocks" which grant special powers or increase stats such as strength or defense.
The main plot revolves around Sora's search for his lost friends Riku and Kairi while fighting off the forces of Organization XIII led by Xemnas. Throughout their journey players will battle powerful enemies such as Heartless creatures created by darkness that seek out hearts to consume; Nobodies—soulless beings created when someone loses their heart; Unversed—evil creatures created from negative emotions; Dream Eaters—creatures born from dreams that can either be helpful or dangerous; and powerful bosses including Xemnas himself. Players must also complete several minigames throughout each world in order to progress further into the story.
Overall Kingdom Hearts II is an enjoyable action RPG experience combining elements of both Disney films and Final Fantasy games into one cohesive package. With its vibrant visuals, engaging storyline filled with memorable characters old and new alike along with exciting combat mechanics there is something here for everyone to enjoy!
